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Octopus arm autonomy

Experiments: basic research on living systems, not technology.

Also: octopus nervous system

Most of an octopus's neurons are in its arms, which can move with surprising independence.

Known properties: Octopus arm autonomy

Only what the cited papers report.

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Timeline

  1. 2001 Arms that move without the brain

Readiness: lab lab studies · prototype demonstrated objects · commercial products or buildings in real use · review summaries of other studies.
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lab biology 2001

Arms that move without the brain

Sumbre and colleagues triggered normal-looking reaching movements in octopus arms cut off from the brain, suggesting the motor program lives in the arm itself.

As reported in: Sumbre, Gutfreund, Fiorito et al. (2001). Control of Octopus Arm Extension by a Peripheral Motor Program. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1060976

Abstract only